NBA review entering All-Star Weekend

Blake Griffin and Kobe Bryant are teammates again this weeked, as Western Conference starters in Sunday's NBA All-Star Game at Orlando, Fla. Click on the photo for a review of the NBA season thus far, covering both the obvious big stories plus others you probably hadn't thought much about.TEXT BY EARL BLOOM, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; GETTY IMAGES PHOTO

Blake Griffin and Kobe Bryant are teammates again this weeked, as Western Conference starters in Sunday's NBA All-Star Game at Orlando, Fla. Click on the photo for a review of the NBA season thus far, covering both the obvious big stories plus others you probably hadn't thought much about. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; GETTY IMAGES PHOTO
This weekend might be East starting center Dwight Howard's last hurrah in Orlando, according to one prevailing theory on the free-agent-to-be. Then again, since no real appealing deals have been floated, the Magic just might hang onto Howard, and let him test free agency. Howard is averaging 20.3 points, with career-highs of 15.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO
Like him or not, Miami's LeBron James is having a runaway Most Valuable Player season. He's averaging 27.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 6.8 assists for a 27-7 Heat team. James is also shooting 55 percent from the field overall, and 41 percent on three-point attempts. His defense has, as usual, been superb. Kevin Durant is the only one in the MVP neighborhood right now. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY MIKE EHRMANN
West All-Star starting point guard Chris Paul, right, is driving the Clippers to the playoffs, possibly with a Pacific Division title. The Clippers haven't missed the pieces traded for him to New Orleans, except for guard Eric Gordon -- who's only played two games for the Hornets, anyway. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY EZRA SHAW
If Kobe Bryant can lead these Lakers past some formidible obstacles to go deep into the playoffs, this might be his most important season. The coaching change brought defensive change (good) and offensive change (ugly so far). The only way the Lakers can get better, personnel-wise, is to trade Pau Gasol -- and that would create another hole in the lineup. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO
Ever wonder why you never see Kevin Durant, left, and Hall of Famer George Gervin in the same room? That's because they're the same player, only the younger version has better outside range. The Oklahoma City Thunder small forward is second in the league in scoring at 27.6, and he's the only non-Los Angeles starter on the West All-Stars this weekend. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO
Andew Bynum isn't going anywhere -- except to Orlando, to start his first NBA All-Star Game for the West on Sunday. The Lakers would be totally insane to trade Bynum the way he's come on this season. At worst, he's the second-best center in a league that has two star centers. And Bynum is still only 24 years old. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO
The man who deserves to be on another team is Cleveland Cavaliers forward Antawn Jamison. Sure, Coach Byron Scott has improved the Cavs from last season, but Jamison deserves better; he should be on a contender. Remember, Jamison was brought to Cleveland to help LeBron James win titles; LeBron has been gone for two years. Jamison would look good as a Laker. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY MARK DUNCAN
The NBA phenomenon known as Jeremy Lin just keeps on rolling. The New York point guard has basically saved the Knicks' season; they're 9-2 since he started playing regularly Feb. 4. Lin can be seen Friday night on TNT (6 p.m. PDT) in the Rising Stars Challenge. He's on Blake Griffin's team, so that should be a lot of fun in itself. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY CHRIS TROTMAN
Also in the Rising Stars Challenge is one of the NBA's best-kept secrets, second-year Detroit Pistons center Greg Monroe (10). The kid who now wears Dennis Rodman's number is averaging 16.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and shooting 51.3 percent. Monroe is also second among centers at 2.5 assists per game, behind only Memphis' Marc Gasol at 3.1. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY GREGORY SHAMUS
You won't see Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis in the All-Star Game, despite his 22.5 points and 5.8 assists per game. Why? Because the NBA continues to have its archaic 12-man All-Star roster limits. This was fine when it was an 8-team league; it's a 30-team league now. No All-Star should play more than 20 minutes Sunday, but some will. This should've been changed, long ago. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY STREETER LECKA
You will see former UCLA star Kevin Love in the All-Star Game, as a West reserve. The Minnesota Timberwolves power forward is averaging 25 points, 14 rebounds and 1.9 assists. That tells you just how good the West lineup is, with Bryant, Bynum, Durant, Griffin and Paul starting. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY JIM MONE
Pau Gasol is still an All-Star in the eyes of Kobe Bryant, and that's good enough for me. However, with the absurd, 12-man roster limit, there was no room for three Lakers on the West squad. So Gasol is going to have more time to spend checking Internet trade rumors, despite averages of 16.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY CHRIS PIZZELLO
You will see a Gasol in the All-Star Game, though. Little brother Marc of the Memphis Grizzlies is the West's No. 2 center, and deservedly so. Marc Gasol is averaging 15 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.2 blocks, while shooting 49.3 percent. Could you imagine if the Lakers has managed to acquire Pau without trading Marc? TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY DANNY JOHNSON
Finally, you're going to see a lot of Clippers power forward Blake Griffin this weekend, which is always a good thing, although he won't defend his Slam Dunk title on Saturday. Griffin will be playing Friday in the Rising Stars Challenge, and Sunday, starting for the West in the NBA All-Star Game. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY HARRY HOW
Enough focus on individual athletes; it's time to look at the best NBA teams, represented visually by their dancers. If there's a better team in the league in 2011-12 than the Miami Heat, I haven't seen it. The big three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh is more cohesive in a second season together. And those three are getting more help from a healthy Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem, plus Mario Chalmers, rookie Norris Cole and Shane Battier. A second East title looks likely. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM: GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY RONALD MARTINEZ
The Oklahoma City Thunder is still young, but its stars -- Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook -- are dynamic, and James Harden should win the Sixth Man Award. However, Scott Brooks' team could use some inside scoring, and the current cast of Thunder big men are basically defenders, rebounders and role players. If this team makes a good deal, it wins the West. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN PETERSEN
The Chicago Bulls have enough to contend in the East, but only if point guard Derrick Rose's back problems go away quickly. Luol Deng is reliable, as is Joakim Noah, but Carlos Boozer still runs hot and cold. The Bulls could use another scoring wing man, but the bench looks pretty good so far, and maybe that player will emerge from there. Or, just maybe, Richard Hamilton will get healthy. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY JONATHAN DANIEL
Don't go to sleep on the San Antonio Spurs, or their Silver Dancers. The Spurs are the deepest team in the league, and that depth has been tested by Manu Ginobili's injuries. San Antonio will go into the playoffs as no worse than a third seed, and, if Ginobili is fit, Coach Gregg Popovich can squeeze one more title out of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. A big if, though. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY RONALD MARTINEZ
Finally, the Lakers, represented by the famous Laker Girls. It's tough to pick the team to win an NBA title this season -- there is not enough bench, and as much as I appreciate and respect Derek Fisher's contributions over many years, there is not a point guard that fits the current offense. When you have Kobe Bryant, you always have a chance ... but the Lakers had him last year. TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER PHOTO BY KEVIN SULLIVAN
The best of the rest is the Clippers, led by Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, shown thanking their fans for voting them All-Star starters. The Clippers are probably a year, and Chauncey Billups' injury, away from winning an NBA title. But they will be in top half of the West bracket, and the toughness of Kenyon Martin and Reggie Evans makes them a tough playoff team. Look out in 2013! TEXT BY EARL BLOOM; GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY HARRY HOW

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